The mountain town of Bad Grund lies on the western edge of the Harz Mountains. It has been a spa town since 1855 and is considered the oldest Upper Harz mining town. The place lies in an open valley, surrounded by deciduous and coniferous forests.
Bad Grund is one of the few spa resorts in Germany with a double designation. With the Eisenstein Tunnel in the Teufelstal valley, the town has the only officially recognised healing mine gallery in northern Germany for respiratory diseases. The tunnel is certified with the highest award. Additionally, Bad Grund is a climatic health resort.
Particular highlights include the Cave Experience Centre Iberg Dripstone Cave, which depicts the living environment of a family around 3000 years ago, the Clock Museum with over 1600 exhibits, and the Knesebeck shaft facility in the Knesebeck Shaft Mining Museum, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. At the market square, you can hear the carillon play, the Fairy Tale Valley welcomes families, and the limestone rock Hübichenstein, over 40 metres high, becomes on 30 April each year during Walpurgis Night the setting for an open‑air theatre with a witches’ dance.
The World Forest Harz shows a collection of around 600 tree species from all over the world across about 100 hectares. Information boards along the hiking trails explain the origin and characteristics of the trees. In the North American section, you can also find replicas of totem poles alongside the trees.
Part of the townscape is the Harz Red highland cattle, a domestic breed threatened with extinction, which is kept in Bad Grund.
For exercise, you can use the hiking trails of the König Hübich Route and the Harz Baudensteig Trail, the mountain bike trail system of the Volksbank Arena Harz, and several Nordic walking routes. Fishing, mini‑golf, and tennis are also possible. In winter, the Kreuzberg and Iberg cross‑country ski trails offer good conditions for skiers. You can find current information about winter sports on the winter sports page for Bad Grund.
